LASIK and training

I have participated in a couple of the "Crappy Eyesight" threads in the PT forum before as I have....crappy eyesight! I have seen a few threads about laser-surgery, but the last was dated in 2006, so jnp forgive me.

After thinking about it for a few years, fucking around with contacts and glasses and researching it out, I have decided to look into LASIK. Part of the reason I am looking into LASIK is I am fucking sick and tired of my damn glasses. I have tried daily wear, disposable, long term wear and sleep-in contacts but after a short time, the contacts stick to my eyelids and float up into my eye.

I had an appointment yesterday with a group of doctors in Las Vegas that specialize in LASIK and PRK, during which my eyes were tortured with several kinds of drops and tests and ended being dilated to the size of half-dollars.

During the examination and questioning, I was asked about physical activities and exercising it came out that I lift and train. I was told essentially:

~before the actual procedure, I can't lift for a few days before and a couple of weeks after.....which isn't a problem

~after the procedure, if I play soccer, no headshots....which isn't a problem

~no getting struck in the head or face.....so essentially, I will be left to my devices at LARPing

During my research, to be honest, I never really noticed anything about "don't get hit in the head"...even though NOW it is pretty rational advice. However during my research I am conducting now, it is pretty obvious: don't box or kickbox or get thrown on your head after LASIK.

Are there any posters who have undergone LASIK or a similar laser eye surgery and if so, what are your experiences?

A guy I know had PRK in order to get into the police, rather than LASIK, for this exact reason. The recovery for the former is apparently much more painful and generally unpleasant, but you don't have a permanent flap inside your eye that can be dislodged by impact.

A guy I know had PRK in order to get into the police, rather than LASIK, for this exact reason. The recovery for the former is apparently much more painful and generally unpleasant, but you don't have a permanent flap inside your eye that can be dislodged by impact.

Yeah, we discussed this option but the downside outweighed the upside.

a guy i used to train with got LASAK instead of LASIK (or so he said, no idea if LASAK even really exists) and said that it was safe to train after (like PRK.) he also had a week's recovery time during which he had to be taken care of by his girlfriend, cause he was essentially blind during recovery.

"Face punches are an essential character building part of a martial art. You don't truly love your children unless you allow them to get punched in the face." - chi-conspiricy
"When I was a little boy, I had a sailor suit, but it didn't mean I was in the Navy." - Mtripp on the subject of a 5 year old karate black belt
"Without actual qualifications to be a Zen teacher, your instructor is just another roundeye raping Asian culture for a buck." - Errant108
"Seriously, who gives a **** what you or Errant think? You're Asian males, everyone just ignores you, unless you're in a krotty movie." - new2bjj

a guy i used to train with got LASAK instead of LASIK (or so he said, no idea if LASAK even really exists) and said that it was safe to train after (like PRK.) he also had a week's recovery time during which he had to be taken care of by his girlfriend, cause he was essentially blind during recovery.

Rehab schedule was provided to me:

Be at appointment 3 hrs. prior for paperwork and valium, actual procedure is >10mins.

Absolutely nothing but dark room bedrest the same day and evening.

Next day, office visit followup.

Office visit followup one week after, one month after, one year after and unlimited as-needed visits for next 3 years.

No swimming or weightstraining for a few days before and a week or so after visit and "training off contacts" for a few weeks before (not a problem for me).

During my research, to be honest, I never really noticed anything about "don't get hit in the head"...even though NOW it is pretty rational advice. However during my research I am conducting now, it is pretty obvious: don't box or kickbox or get thrown on your head after LASIK.

Are there any posters who have undergone LASIK or a similar laser eye surgery and if so, what are your experiences?

My s.o. had this procedure done at the end of last November. No contact sports for one month afterwards (she does Judo) is what the doctor prescribed her, not no contact ever (though maybe doctors assume women don't play sports where they get punched in the eye, dunno).

Anyways, she was walking around with decent-ish vision the day after surgery. I believe she was told the flap cut into her eye would fully heal in a year. The strangest thing from MY perspective is her noticing totally normal stuff she's never seen before due to wearing glasses her entire life that protect one from glare, i.e. starburst effect from headlights of other cars while driving.

my experience when i was looking into getting LASIK was that you have to assume that despite years of med school, your doctor may be a moron. here's the conversation that convinced me:

me: "so, after the recovery period, will i be able to do martial arts?"
doc: "sure, no problem"
me: "uhh, how about if i want to do boxing and wrestling?"
doc: "oh, god, no. that flap can come loose if you get punched in the face, or if your eye gets rubbed."
me: "what exactly did you think i meant by martial arts? dancing around in pyjamas?"
doc: "uhhhhhh"

"Face punches are an essential character building part of a martial art. You don't truly love your children unless you allow them to get punched in the face." - chi-conspiricy
"When I was a little boy, I had a sailor suit, but it didn't mean I was in the Navy." - Mtripp on the subject of a 5 year old karate black belt
"Without actual qualifications to be a Zen teacher, your instructor is just another roundeye raping Asian culture for a buck." - Errant108
"Seriously, who gives a **** what you or Errant think? You're Asian males, everyone just ignores you, unless you're in a krotty movie." - new2bjj

Although PRK and LASEK basically use the same technique, there are minor differences between them. In PRK, epithelium is removed and the outermost layer below the epithelium is treated with laser. In LASEK, epithelium is not removed, but an alcoholic solution is used to cause the epithelial cells to weaken; the surgeon will fold the epithelial layer out of the laser treatment field, and fold it back in its original place after cornea has been reshaped by laser. If the epithelial flap is not strong enough to be laid back in its original place, it will be removed. The LASEK procedure becomes a PRK procedure.

[...]

PRK does not involve a knife, microkeratome, or cutting laser as used in LASIK, but there may be more pain and slower visual recovery. Unlike LASIK, PRK does not create the risk of dislocated corneal flaps which may occur (especially with trauma), at any time after LASIK.

I guess PRK is better than either LASIK or LASEK if you expect trauma to the head. There are complications of all procedures, of course.